Chapter 169 (1/2)

Chapter 169

「To the capital?」

「Yeah, it’s a new year and all . It should be simple now that you’ve got such a splendid road constructed . 」

Erich sits in front of me while we drink together in the guest room of the mansion .

It seems he decided to pay me a visit after doing an annual inspection of his own territory .

「I just came back though……」

I honestly don’t want to go .

「There are no plans for war in the near future . The southern nations are keeping each other in check and don’t have the force to oppose us . There shouldn’t be any problems with you leaving your territory . 」

「Haah . 」

It’s true I don’t have any particular reason to stay in my territory .

Conversely, there’s no real reason to go to the capital either .

Besides, Celia is still bedridden and I don’t really want to leave her right now .

「……I’ll state my true intentions . It’s about the Royal Inst.i.tution . 」

Seeing my bewildered expression, Erich reluctantly spit out his concern .

「The Royal Inst.i.tution – a school established to train army commanders . I heard that things are progressing quite steadily . 」

I feel as if someone might or might not have told me to go check it out before ……

「Umu, I’ve mentioned that they plan to train not only military personnel but also raise up potential domestic affairs officials, didn’t I?」

You might or might not have .

「There was a substantial increase in students to welcome the new year, but it’s difficult for me or the new n.o.bles to teach any of the prospective domestic affairs officials . 」

「Well that’s……」

A lot of the new n.o.bles, including me, have miserable pasts after all .

n.o.bles like Erich are fairly scarce .

However, many have learned proper manners and how to curry favor in order to protect themselves or get promoted .

「Therefore, I wanted to invite a person who was connected with the government to make us instructors but…… Kenneth is breathing down my neck . 」

Kenneth is one of the individuals under the King who has been given partial authority along with Erich .

Things like domestic affairs and government matters in particular are his speciality, so domestic affairs officials not under his influence are hard to come by in the capital .

「That’s where you come in . 」

「No, that’s impossible for me . 」

Asking me to teach domestic affairs, what kind of joke is that?

The only things I could really teach are ‘how to swing a spear’ or ‘how to sleep with women’ .

「No, rather than have you teach anything, I just need you to show up at school and give some confident speeches about mental fort.i.tude . 」

「That’s it?」

「Yeah, if you went to the Royal Inst.i.tution on my request, everyone should know who has leaders.h.i.+p over the school . After that, Kenneth should not be able to curry favor with as many students . As things are now, not just those who aspire to be domestic affairs officials, but those aspiring to be military commanders will also be won over . 」

That sounds serious .

I’d like to find someone knowledgeable about domestic affairs from the school for myself, so it might be nice to show up .

「Staying there for two months should suffice . 」

Well that’s going to be a problem .

Because ……

「Aegir-sama! You’re going to desert me!?」

After guiding Erich to his bedroom, Nonna jumps out and yells at me .

「Of course not, you’re my wife . 」

「You were talking about going to the capital! You told me you were going to be by my side when this child gets born too!」

「It won’t be a long stay . Two months will mean I’ll be back just after spring and you’re scheduled to give birth around summer, right?」

「I don’t like this–!! I’m sure something will happen while Aegir-sama is gone and I’ll give birth prematurely…… my child won’t be born properly…… and then I’ll be chased out– !!」

Nonna wails and the attending maids get fl.u.s.tered while I look towards Carla who was next to them .

It appears she’s just past the halfway mark of being pregnant where people usually feel the most anxious .

「This woman really needs her hand held with every little thing . 」

「Well that’s what makes her cute . 」

I slowly approach Nonna as she hurls cus.h.i.+ons at me and then gently embrace her .

「Carla and Miti will be here . The other girls will protect you too and if anything happens, I’ll work Schwartz to death and rush back over in a day . 」

「Gusu……egh…… you mean it ?」

「Of course . You’re my precious Nonna . 」

I give her a pa.s.sionate and sloppy kiss, enough to make the attending maids cover their eyes shyly .

「……I’ve calmed down . You’re really going to be here when I give birth ?」

I softly knock Nonna’s head without saying a word .

「I’m sorry for getting upset . Also, Carla peed in the garden again . Naked at that . 」

「Carla, you……」

「You’re saying that now!? It’s fine, isn’t it? I can’t get enough of that sense of liberation!」

If the two of them arguing, Nonna will be fine .

「If you girls contact me when you go into labor as well, I could come back……」

The large-bellied Rita and Yoguri got pregnant earlier than Nonna did so I might not make it in time for when they give birth .

「No, it’s a man’s job to impregnate while it’s a woman’s job to give birth . I’ll show you I can give birth to a healthy child on my own . 」

Rita smiles as she said that .

She must have it easy with such a large a.s.s .

「I’ll be fine too . The servants are here to look after me anyways…… I actually feel strangely calm with other people getting fl.u.s.tered around me……」

It looks like the rest of the girls feel calm when Nonna makes a fuss .

Even yesterday, she tripped over a carpet which was flipped up and threw things angrily at the cleaning maid .

If I rebuke her too harshly, it might hinder the birth of her child so right now I can only try to persuade Nonna kindly .

I had the maid who ended up with a b.u.mp on her head rest at home with pay and I’ll also send her a gift later as well .

When she gets better, I’ll embrace her pa.s.sionately to make up for it .

Next is Celia .

「So you won’t depart immediately?」

「No . Here, aahn . 」

「Aahn…… delicious . 」

As I sit next to the bed beside Celia, I feed her a cake covered in cream . I have plenty of fresh apples for today as well .

「But why?」

Isn’t it obvious?

「I can’t leave you alone when you can’t move, right?」

「Hau!」

Celia suddenly looks down and turns red .

She’s such an amusing girl, let me give her a bright red apple .

Another Two Weeks Later

「You don’t need to keep it fixed anymore . However, you still can’t do any intense movement or carry any heavy objects . 」

The doctor informs Celia while untying the bandages around her arm and removing the splint .

Celia scratches the arm which hasn’t been exposed to the outside air in such a long time .

「So now I can be with Aegir-sama again……」

「Ahem, what I just said is only with regards to your daily tasks . You can’t ride a horse or do anything like wielding a sword . 」

「N-no way……」

「Celia, I have an order for you . 」

「Yessir!」

In a snap, Celia firmly adjusts her posture upright .

「Until I get back, you will take a break from your military duties, and just eat, sleep and look after your body . 」

「Eeeh!?」

I have to do this much for Celia to understand or else she’ll definitely go back to work .

If only part of Tristan’s lazy att.i.tude combined with her, she’ll have the perfect balance .

「S-so you won’t take me with you!?」

「No, you will stay home and relax and let your body heal properly . 」

Celia slumps over disappointedly .

I guess this will be the first time she will be away from me for a long period .

「Uuu…… I won’t ever break my bones again . 」

That’s good .

「Then I’ll head to the capital tomorrow . Nonna, I’ll be back when you give birth so don’t trouble the maids too much . I understand you might feel anxious about the pregnancy, but rely on Carla or Melissa . 」

「Ahem, understood . 」

「Apologize to the maid you hit with the pitcher of water in a fit of rage as well . 」

「I will!」

She starts arguing with Carla when teased .

They seem fine here .

The modest banquet held afterwards ended quickly and I was about to head to bed in preparation for tomorrow .

「Um . 」

Standing in front of my door is Celia, and she gets naked immediately after I invite her into the room . When I sit on the bed, she falls to the floor and prostrates before me .

「I went and got myself injured, yet you looked after me everyday and even took care of my lower half…… 」

I did that because I wanted to, don’t worry about it .

「I heard from the doctor . My arms would be fine as long as I don’t put any burden on them, so even if my body shook furiously, it wouldn’t affect my injury . 」

Celia climbs onto the bed and spreads open her legs .

「When I think about leaving Aegir-sama’s side, it feels like I’m about to die . The least I can do is let you embrace me pa.s.sionately right now . 」

「Are you sure? It’ll be intense . 」

「Please do it until I scream and faint . 」

She’s already wet enough that I don’t need to do any foreplay .

I take off my clothes as well and press myself against her in the missionary position, making sure not to put any weight on her arms .

「Is it okay?」

「Of course . Ah…… it’s coming in…… it’s really big! Just as big as Aegir-sama’s heart is!」

My c.o.c.k slides all the way in and just when I was about to make her cry out in pleasure, the bedroom door swings open .

「Ahhh-! They’re already doing it!」

「Hm? Carla, what’s wrong?」「Kyaa!!」

Following Carla who jumped into the room are a crowd of girls .